Lilly: Bride of Illinois (American Mail-Order Bride 21) (11 page)

“Hello?” a quick tapping sounded on the back door before a young dark–haired beauty walked into the kitchen. “Pastor Reagan?”

“Miss Swisher, please come in. Sorry, I was detained in returning to the church office.” Pastor Reagan stood up and waved his palm up to Lilly. “Miss Agnes Swisher, I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of the Reagan family. This is Seth’s bride
Lilly
, and they were telling us about their honeymoon in Chicago before they go home to the ranch.”

***

He knew what his ma was doing, acting like she’d take Lilly under her wing and get her hooked up to a man in record time. He and his brothers had caught on to her little trickery at a young age, although they liked to play along to see how far their ma would take her charades.

His ma was a good judge of character and she either liked or disliked a person almost immediately. She was always polite to everyone, but her family knew how to read her reactions. It pleased Seth that his ma liked Lilly. For some reason, it was very important to him. And yes, it irritated his pride when she suggested Adolph Bjorklund as a husband for Lilly. Especially since they
would
be a good match…but
dang it
, Seth married her first!

Seth didn’t expect his father would be the one to seal their “marriage”—at least temporarily—by blabbing to the town gossip he and Lilly had just returned from their honeymoon.

Of course, Agnes throwing a fit didn’t help matters.

“Oh no, Seth! How could you humiliate me by marrying this stranger?! You were courting me!”

Good gravy.
He and his folks all rolled their eyes at her remark, because it wasn’t true. Miss Swisher had been chasing Seth since she started wearing long skirts. He only talked to her now because it was the polite thing to do, but he’d never called on or courted her—by choice anyway.

It amused Seth to see Lilly’s eyes change from bright blue to envy green after the woman’s proclamation. Maybe Lilly was starting to have feelings for him…
like you’re having for her
?

Seth was relieved when his da announced, in front of the three women, he and his son needed to hitch up their horse and buggy so Seth could take his bride home. The air was too thick with jealousy in his ma’s kitchen, which was flattering, but embarrassing at the same time.

But Da had some wisdom to pass on before he passed on the reins of the loaned horse and buggy.

“When your mind believes what your heart already knows, I’d like to perform a renewal vow for the two of you. It can either be in front of the whole congregation or privately.”

While Seth drove the horse and buggy home, his father’s words were making him reevaluate the original purpose of marrying Lilly. He couldn’t deny there was a spark of interest when their eyes first met at the train station. Was their chance meeting fate’s way to simply help Lilly out of a bad situation, or was it to bring them together as mates for life? He really liked the woman setting next to him, and could see her there for many years to come.

They stopped at the mercantile to pick up groceries while they had the use of the buggy. While Seth ordered basic supplies he knew he didn’t have in his pantry, Lilly walked the perimeter of the store, studying what was available to purchase. Seth noticed she kept her hands behind her back, like she was afraid to feel the pretty bolts of fabric, pick up a can of spiced peaches to look at the label, wish for things she’d never had? He pointed to the candy jars and whispered to Mrs. Taylor to put a variety of candy in a sack. It felt good to buy things for Lilly and she was so appreciative of the smallest gestures.

They left town by late afternoon after deciding to leave the horses in the stockyard corral. It would be dark before they could return to town to retrieve the horses, so they decided to wait until morning.

Lilly’s eyes soaked in the open prairie scenery on their drive north to the ranch, studying the landscape, scanning it as though she was trying to memorize the landmarks. She’d sniffed a time or two and wiped her nose with the back of her gloved hand. He’d asked what was wrong, but she wouldn’t answer, keeping her eyes on the horizon. It made him realize how special his growing up and living in a good home and community was, which he’d always taken for granted. Seth sensed, more than Lilly said, how hard her life in Sweden had been when they talked on the train ride home.

“I can’t believe how the lay of the land reminds me of Sweden, Seth. It makes me feel both sad and comforted at the same time.” Seth moved the reins from his right to left hand so he could hug her shoulders.

“Then it’s a good place for you to be, to remind you both of the past and the future. I’ve heard many Swedes say the same thing as you, this area reminds them of their homeland.”

This area was still a wild prairie, untamed by man except for little pockets of settlements and an occasional homestead. The scenery had changed as they traveled across Kansas by rail. The eastern part of the state had larger towns, a more rolling terrain, with groves of mature trees along the rivers and creeks. Then the train chugged through the Flint Hills with large, rolling hills of grass which had to be four to five feet tall. After the train passed Salina, the grass varieties seemed to shorten in height over smaller hills. But no matter where they’d been in Kansas, they could always see the big, clear sky.

“After being in a smoggy, crowded factory town, this is a breath of fresh air,” Lilly said to lighten the mood.

“You said the Straight Arrow Ranch is five miles north of town. Where is the Cross C Ranch from Clear Creek, and the other ranch you mentioned? And I have to keep remembering an American mile equals about seven Swedish miles, so please keep saying ‘American miles’ when you tell me.”

“The Cross C Ranch is two American miles east of the Arrow, and Ma talked about the Hamners? Dagmar and Cora Hamner’s Bar E Ranch is two American miles west of the Arrow. The other two ranches have several sections of land north of them, with the smaller Arrow in the middle.”

“Does the wind always blow here?” Lilly had tied her shawl over her hat once they left town. Even though the day was sunny, the air had a crisp nip to it.

“This is just a breeze. We have stiff winds some days making it hard to keep your hat on, and other days you wish for a breeze because it’s stifling hot.”

“Oh, what’s the animal running across the hill?” Lilly caught sight of a coyote and pointed in the direction it was running.

“It’s a coyote. You see them mostly by themselves during the day, but at night they may run together. I promise you’ll hear their group howl tonight.”

“It looks the size of a dog, but with a fox face. Are they tame, or are they wild and will attack us?”

“Not a problem to us, but they eat chickens and baby calves, so they’re a menace for the farmer and rancher. About everyone has a rifle or revolver handy when they ride out here to shoot bad critters, like coyotes and snakes.

“It’s okay,” Seth assured Lilly when she recoiled in the seat. “Kansas isn’t as wild as it once was, but I’ll still teach you to shoot a gun.” Seth squeezed Lilly’s shoulders again before taking his arm off to change the reins back in his driving hand again.

“Seth, what are we going to do, about our arranged marriage? I don’t think you thought it through when you suggested it, and I didn’t think about how it would affect your and your family’s lives when I accepted. I was grabbing a chance to get out of Hardesty’s reach.” Lilly tucked her arms around her waist and looked worried.

“Are your ribs hurting you today?”

“They’re sore from all our travel, but I’m okay. And you didn’t answer my question.”

What should he say?
I’d like you to stay because I think I’m falling in love with you?

“Well, one thing for sure, the news of our marriage is already spreading across the county, so be ready for curious stares and questions at church this Sunday. But at the same time, I promised you we’d get an annulment, so we can stay with our original agreement,
if that’s what you want to do.”

Lilly looked down at her lap when he mentioned the annulment, but looked up at him with bright eyes for a second when he said “if that’s what you want to do”.

“The ranch homestead will be coming into view right over this next hill…” Lilly stood up in the moving buggy to get the first glimpse. Seth grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling out of the buggy and under the horse’s hooves.

“Please sit down, Lilly, because it’s over a half mile yet to the buildings.”

“But I want to see the horses, and the barn, and my new
home
!” she pleaded.

Seth pulled the horse to a stop and stared at Lilly.
She’d said, “I want to see my new home”
, he thought to himself with hope.

Lilly plopped down on the buggy seat when she realized why he had stopped. “I…I meant…I want to see
your
home.”

He picked up the reins again and gave a little snap to tell the horse to start walking again.
Which did she mean? My home, your home…could it be
our
home instead?
Seth wondered.

As the buggy rolled over the ridge of the hill and closer to the valley where the ranch buildings were clustered, Seth had to grab Lilly again. She wanted a normal, happy life so badly. Could he be the one to fulfill her dreams?
Did he want to? And did she want him to?

Chapter 10

“Hang on, we need to do this right. Don’t want any evil spirits haunting you or the house,” Seth said, as he dropped their bags on the porch floor.

“I’m going to carry you over the threshold, so you get the doorknob.”

“What?” was all Lilly could say before Seth put one arm behind her back and the other under her knees and lifted her, pretending to strain and grunt from his “heavy” load.

Lilly couldn’t help but laugh as she reached for the doorknob when Seth changed the direction he was standing so she could reach it.

“Oh, Seth it’s so…Ah!” Lilly screamed as Seth’s knees buckled and half dropped her to the floor.

“Are you all right?” both said at the same time as they sat on the floor.

“Yes. Was I that heavy?” Lilly gasped in horror.

“No, I tripped over Manurva running into the house ahead of me,” Seth confessed as a black and orange calico cat crawled onto his lap, purring loudly and commenced to rub her head up his chest to nuzzle into his neck. “Lilly, meet my housecat, Manurva.” He smiled as he rubbed the cat down her silky back.

“You have a housecat?! Did you say her name was Minerva?”

“Nope, Manurva, as in horse manure. When she was a little kitten she crawled in an almost empty bucket of water in a horse stall and fell asleep. When I was mucking the manure out of the stall, I found her in the bucket, with the flap of her tiny ear frozen to the bottom of it. I brought the bucket into the house to add a little hot water to get her ear unstuck, and she’s lived in the house with me since then.”

Lilly adored how the cat loved Seth, and was a little jealous of the attention Manurva was getting from him.

“She’s in and out of the house, but wants to live in the house all the time during the winter.”

Then the cat crawled on Lilly’s lap and started the same routine of rubbing and purring. “You’re a spoiled kitty, Miss Manurva,” Lilly whispered. Right now she would give about anything to stay Seth’s wife and be spoiled, too.

The two–story, wood–frame house was painted a light yellow, making it a welcoming sight, even though the house inside was cold since Seth had been gone for a while. The downstairs featured a dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and parlor. The narrow staircase in the dining room led up to two more bedrooms.

“This is the original part of the house, built in 1866, and then the owners added a utility room and enclosed porch to the back of the house, probably five years later. See the difference in the floor boards when we cross this threshold?”

Lilly was listening to Seth telling the history of the house, while she examined each room. As she expected after getting to know Seth, the house was clean and organized. Just the basic furniture a bachelor needed, no doilies or pictures decorated the home such as a woman would add.

There was no electricity or running water in the house. The outhouse was behind the house a short distance next to an empty garden space. A spring in the creek behind the barn kept water flowing all year, plus there was a cistern in the enclosed porch to have water handy in the house.

“So what do you think of my humble home, Lilly?” Seth asked, still carrying his cat around.

“It’s truly a tranquil home, but it’s way out in the country by itself. Do you ever get lonely?”

“Depends on the time of year, but yes, it has become lonely. At first, it was nice to have my own space—after eight of us crammed in the parsonage for years. Now I’m thinking I’d like a wife and family.”

You already have a wife. How about keeping her?

“I’ll get the kitchen stove going to help heat the house, and then carry in the groceries. When we’re ready to eat supper, we can add something to the bread and cheese Ma sent home with us.”

Lilly studied the stove, kitchen table and sideboards on either side of the sink. There was a hand pump and drain in the sink, so it must draw from the cistern somewhere near or under the house. The water would drain outside to be collected to be used again, for outside uses. Open shelves on one wall displayed china dinnerware, and mixing bowls. Lilly opened the door of the pie safe and found linens stored in there. The best part of the room was the window above the sink, facing toward the barn and pasture behind it.
I’d love to look out this window several times a day.

“Want to come out to the barn to explore it while I unhitch the buggy and brush down the horse?”

“Of course!”

“How about I show you to your bedroom and you can change into your men’s trousers and coat? I’m guessing you’ll be climbing up to the hayloft and crawling over fences to meet the horses before we are out of the barn,” Seth grinned at her, knowing that’s exactly what Lilly would love to do.

The stair door was closed, so it was cold climbing the narrow stairs to the top landing.

“It’ll take a while for the upstairs to heat up, I’m afraid. You can use either room up here. Both have a bed, dresser and wash stand. Guess it depends on which view you want out the windows. Um, sorry for putting you upstairs, but I’d rather stay in the downstairs bedroom so I’m close if I hear something’s wrong outside.”

“No, this will work fine. I’ll take the view of the barn and horses.”

“I figured that was the one you’d pick,” Seth’s slow smile warmed Lilly’s insides, even if it was cold upstairs. “You get ready to meet the herd and I’ll meet you in the barn.”

Lilly changed quickly into her other outfit. She’d eventually like a split skirt for riding astride like she’d seen several women riders in Clear Creek wearing. She was glad to see not all women rode sidesaddle.

Seth was taking the harness off his father’s horse when Lilly entered the wooden barn.

“It’s not a fancy structure, but it is functional. Go ahead and explore every nook and cranny. I’m guessing you’ll find more cats in the hayloft. Look over the saddles in the tack room to see which saddle on the west wall you want to use on your new horse—not that you have more than four choices since me and the occasional ranch hand are the only ones to use the saddles.”

The barn had six single stalls on one side of the barn, with an area at the end to milk the cow. The other side had three box stalls and the tack room.

“Can I milk Daisy this evening?”

“
Please.
The milk bucket is in the kitchen, washed and ready to use anytime you want to coax her in the barn stanchion. We’ll drink some with tonight’s supper and put the rest in our cellar to keep cool. I can’t use it all myself, so I give part of the milk to Gerald and Betty Squires, my young neighbors down the road. In return, Betty keeps me supplied in butter, cheese and an occasional pie with a pint of sweet cream to enjoy with it.”

Our
cellar? Lilly’s mind stopped on these words and didn’t hear what else Seth said. The more Lilly saw of the ranch, the more she was ready to stay.

“Don’t you milk the cow outside, wherever she’s standing? That’s how we did it in Sweden.”

“Ha! Not with this cow. When I—or Gerald when I’m gone—milk Daisy, we have to put her head in the stanchion and hobble her back legs to get close to her. You’re welcome to try any method you want, but remember she throws a mean kick with her right leg.”

Lilly laughed, thinking of the cows she’d milked in her youth. Every cow had a distinct personality and quirk you had to be ready for. She was going to love getting to know Daisy.

She felt a wet nose in the palm of her hand and looked down into big brown eyes. The all–black dog backed up when Lilly tried to lean over to pet him, so she stood again as she had been, and waited for him to make the next move.

“That’s Wally. He’s shy, but loyal if he likes you. He’s a good protector of the stock, be it foals or chickens. He has the opposite personality of Barney, who jumped up on you when you got out of the buggy. Wally’s a big, friendly lug until he senses danger, then he’s baring every tooth in his mouth and all his short hair stands on end. Barney constantly patrols the perimeter of the ranch yard while Wally watches the world from the barn door.”

“I’m sure I’ll make friends with both of them…if I stay here,” Lilly said, watching to see what Seth’s reaction would be. He looked over the horse’s back at her for a second, before going back to his brushing.

The minutes ticked by as he finished the brushing, tied the horse into one of the stalls and spread some oats on top of the prairie hay in the stall manger.

“Ready to meet some of the horses in the small pasture behind the barn?” Seth asked while extending his hand. Lilly took his hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. She was more than ready to meet every horse on this ranch.

***

Seth wasn’t too surprised when he realized there was a quilt–covered lump in his bed this morning. He must have been in a deep sleep last night because he didn’t know when she’d cuddled in beside him. After they had supper last night and talked for another two hours, they were both ready to get some sleep, dead tired from their trip, and the emotions of the week.

After Lilly’s hesitation at the foot of the stairs, Seth asked if he could brush and braid her hair before she went to sleep. The minx had her handkerchief, brush and ribbon stashed on the second step of the stairs—just in case he’d mentioned it.

Seth had also told her, before she climbed the steps with a lit lamp, if she was too cold or frightened upstairs by herself, she could come downstairs. He’d meant she could sleep in the parlor on the settee, but apparently she felt safest beside him. And Seth admitted he liked Lilly beside him, day and night.

Manurva woke from her spot curled at the foot of the bed, stretched her back in a big arch and started her morning routine of purring loudly while kneading her paws in Seth’s back. Only this morning, the cat kneaded the lumpy quilt beside him. Seth watched as Lilly moved a little, then jumped and screeched, trying to kick the quilt and the cat off the bed at the same time. He couldn’t help breaking out in a belly laugh seeing Lilly’s surprised face as she looked around the early morning–shadowed room.

“Good morning, Lilly. Manurva wakes me up every morning by kneading my back with her paws. You were the lucky person to get her special treatment this morning.”

“
What!
Where am I?
What cat?
”

“Lilly,” Seth wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her down to lay beside him. “You crawled in bed with me and Manurva last night. Were you cold, or frightened to be by yourself?”

He felt her relax against his shoulder, finally awake and knowing where she was.

“I hate to say it but…both?”

“That’s fine. I suggested you come downstairs if you wanted to. I’m kind of getting used to having you beside me anyway.” Silence filled the room, and Seth would bet Lilly was blushing, even though he couldn’t see it.

“Um…does the cat sleep with you all the time?”

“Just during the winter months. She’s a great foot warmer. She’s always had plenty of room in the bed, but apparently she didn’t mind sharing the space with you last night…or she would have woken you up sooner than her normal time.”

“I meant to sneak back upstairs before morning, but…”

“You were tired and toasty warm wrapped up in your quilt so you slept hard. You had the quilt wrapped over the top of your head, too.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sure the upstairs room will be warmer tomorrow night, no, tonight I guess it will be, and I won’t bother you again.”

“Me and Manurva didn’t mind and we
are
married…even if we don’t…you know. But I’d like a kiss for keeping you warm last night. Think that’s an appropriate thank you?”

***

Lilly cornered the cow again this morning and had Daisy milked before he’d finished forking hay down the hayloft chutes to the stall mangers below, and gathering the eggs. Lilly didn’t have to use the stanchion and hobbles on the cow. Lilly softly sang, mostly in Swedish, the whole time she milked the cow. Daisy was entranced with her voice, as was Seth. Lilly was caring and confident handling all the animals she’d encountered so far on the ranch.

Seth had hitched the buggy to his father’s horse, then had a saddled mare tied to the back for their trip to town. Lilly opted to ride into town astride another one of his horses, and Seth could tell she enjoyed every minute in the saddle. After bringing the horse and buggy back to his parents’ barn, they’d roped the new horses together and were now leading them to the ranch.

The group was a little frisky due to the cool weather and having been confined for a week or more. The new stock, from Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan had traveled several days to get to Chicago before the sale, and again traveling to Kansas. They’d have to keep the horses separated from the home herd—and each other—for a while to be sure they stayed healthy after their long trip, and acclimated to the ranch.

Lilly rode his horse on their return to the ranch, but her mare was first in line behind her. Lilly sang or talked to the horse when Seth wasn’t conversing with her.

“What are we naming these horses, Lilly?”
There I go again, saying “we”.

“I’d say something close to their registered names, because I’d bet they already know a nickname close to it. It’s how we did it at the horse farm.”